Universal printing plate registering and punching machine



May 15, 1956 w. FAEBER 2,745,186

UNIVERSAL PRINTING PLATE REGISTERING AND PUNCHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1,1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

mun

INVENTOR. HARRY W. FAEBER May 15, 1956 H. w. FAEBER 2,745,186

UNIVERSAL PRINTING PLATE REGISTERING AND PUNCHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1,1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HARRY W FAEBER km 4 T 702M? Y5 May 15,1956 H. w. FAEBER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec.

6 I h E w www 4 I I R V/ 6 Wm; I! v I H FIG. 5.

May 15, 1956 H. w. FAEBER 2,745,186

UNIVERSAL PRINTING PLATE REGISTERING AND PUNCHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet4 Filed Dec. 1, 1951 INVENTOR. HARRY w. FAEBER b1: 4 TTOQNE Y5 UnitedStates Patent {O UNIVERSAL PRINTING PLATE REGISTERING AND PUNCHINGMACHINE Harry W. Faeber, Larchmont, N. Y., assignor to Time,

Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York The presentinvention relates to apparatus for so marking printing plates that theimpression of each plate will accurately register with related printedimpressions when the plates are mounted in a printing press and thepress is operated in accordance with standard printing practice.

Applicant has previously disclosed in patent application Serial No.206,452, filed January 17, 1951, apparatus for precisely andexpeditiously registering and marking printing plates of standard sizes.

It is the primary object of the present invention to improve the priorapparatus by rendering it capable of accommodating printing plates ofvarious sizes and thicknesses.

The invention resides in apparatus for registering and punching printingplates of various sizes and thicknesses, which apparatus includes abase, a registering member, such as a transparent ruled register screenor a transparent register sheet adapted to receive a master imprintthereon, and plate-supporting means for adjustably holding a printingplate in alignment with the registering member. The plate-supportingmeans may take the form of a turntable having manually actuated clampsfor engaging the edges of the printing plate. A levellimiting means isprovided for predetermining a reference plane for the registeringmember. The level-limiting means is disclosed as a frame attached toeither end of the turntable, each frame being provided with'a bearerbar. A plastic register sheet may be stretched between and a ruled glassregister screen may be lowered against these bearer bars.

Punch mechanisms, serving to punch alignment holes in registered plates,are movably mounted on the base to overhang the printing plate andcooperating dies are movably mounted on the plate-supporting means tounderlie the plate. Each punch mechanism may comprise a punch-carryingpedestal which is reciprocable toward and away from the turntable. Thedies, on the other hand, may be mounted in a slide flush with thesurface of the turntable and radially'reciprocable thereon. Themovements of the punch mechanism and the die are coordinated to insureproper alignment of punch and die. This coordination may be effected byengagement between a portion of the base of the punch-carrying pedestaland the end of the die slide which resists inward movement 'by means ofa radially acting compression spring. The punching dies are thus able toadjust themselves to various plate sizes. Adjustable stop blocks areprovided to limit the inward movement of the punch-carrying pedestals.

In order to adjust for various printing plate thicknesses leveling meansis provided for altering the level of the plate-supporting means toplace the surface of the print ing plate always in the reference planeof the registering member as predetermined by the level-limiting means.In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, tlieleveling meansincludes a pair of concentric rings having come plementary sloping facesin engagement. .The turntable is supported by and rotatable 'relativetothese rings which I 2,745,186 Patented May 15, 1956 -may berotatedrelative to each other for altering the height of the turntable relativeto the top surface of the bearer bars of the frames. The punching diesare mounted on the turntable and, consequently, are raised or depressedaccording to the thickness of the printing plate but always remain flushwith the bottom of the plate ready for the punching operation.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now bediscussed in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawingswherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a printing plate registering andpunching apparatus embodying the improvemerits of the present invention;

7 Figure 2 is a detail of the apparatus of Figure 1, showing levelingrings and associated shafts and gearing for altering the height of theturntable that holds the printing plate in order to adjust for differentplate thicknesses;

Figure 3 is a front view in partial section of a detail of the apparatustaken along line 3, 3 of Figure 1, showing'punch mechanisms reciprocableon the base and cooperating sliding dies mounted for reciprocal movement"on the turntable;

, gagement with the sliding die;

Figure 7 is similar to Figure 6 and shows the punch mechanism at itsinnermost position in contact with the stop block;

Figure 8 is a detailed view of the stop block and lead screw adjustmenttherefor seen in perspective from above with all but the abuttingportion of the punch pedestal removed; and

Figures 9a and 9b are plan views of printing plates which have beenpunched at the sides and at the ends,

I respectively.

Referring to the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1, there issh'own'a'base 11 formed with top or platform 12 which may, if desired,slope downward from rear to front as indicated in Figure 4. Platform 12is provided with a central shaft 13 (Figure 5) upon which a turntable 14is mounted for turning about an axis perpendicular to the plane of theplatform 12. Angle limiting means (not shown) may be furnished withinthe base 11 to restrict the angular movement of turntable 14 to ninetydegrees.

As illustrated in Figure 5, the turntable 14 is generally I rectangularin plan and is formed with an extension 15 for manual adjustment thereofand has sliding blocks 22 threaded thereon. By manipulation of knurledheads 21, blocks 22 may be moved in or out along guide slots 23. Clamps17 thus permit 'a printing plate to be centered on turntable 14 andlocked up in accordance with standard printing practice.

Means'for establishing a reference levelv irrespective of the thicknessof the printing plate is provided'at opposite ends of the turntable 14in the form of frames 24 and 25. Frames 24 and 25 (seen in cross sectionin Figure 4) haveface plates 26 and 27, respectively, held in firmcontact with platform 12 by means of compression springs 28, 29 and 31,32, respectively, which act between turntable 14 and platform 12. Frames24 and 25 are otherwise connected to turntable 14 by upright studs 33,34 and 35, 36, which engage perpendicular holes in turntable 14. Thismanner of connection. permits the turntable 14 to be raised ordepressed, as will be discussed in detail below, Without altering theheight of frames 24 and 25 above platform 12. Frames 24 and 25 are,however, constrained to turn with turntable 14 while maintaining theirrelative alignment. Studs 35 and 36 have cross marks cut on their topsurfaces for registering purposes as subsequently explained.

A bearer bar 37 is permanently fixed to face plate 26. A similar bearerbar 38 is slidably mounted on face plate 27. The two bearer bars 3'7 and38 have reentrant longitudinal flanges 39 and 41 formed therein for thepurpose of receiving cooperating clamp bars 42 and 43 holding the endsof a transparent register sheet 44 which, when not in use, may be hungon the side of base 11 as shown in Figure 1.

Thumb screws 45 and 46 are threaded into bearer bar 33 near either endthereof and extend perpendicularly through the bar into engagement witheccentric cam levers 4'7 and 48, respectively. Cam levers 47 and 48 arepivotally mounted upon extensions 49 and 51, respectively, of face plate27. Guide blocks 52 and 53 secured to the top of face plate 27perpendicularly to its length have downwardly and inwardly sloping sideswhich engage complementary shaped grooves in the bottom of bearer bar38. Guide blocks 52 and 53 permit movement of bearer bar 38substantially only directly toward or away from bearer bar 37. Leafsprings 49, attached to the outer ends of the guide blocks 52 and 53,press in against the side of the bearer bar 38 with a resilience thatmay be adjusted by thumb screws 50, which are threaded in the guideblocks.

In order to mount transparent register sheet 44, cam levers 47 and 48are swung outwardly permitting bearer bar 38 to move inwardly under thepressure of the springs 40 to its position of minimum spacing, frombearer bar 37. In this position clamp bars 42 and 43 and register sheet44 may be easily slipped into reentrant flanges 39 and 41, with thesheet 44 lying across the top of turntable 14. Thereupon cam levers 47and 48 may be turned back to their locking position (shown in Figuremoving bearer bar 38 further away from bearer bar 37 and stretching theregister sheet 44 tightly over the turntable. Thumbscrews 45 and 46, maybe adjusted to regulate the tension of register sheet 44 as required.

in order that a registered plate may be suitably marked while it isstill correctly located upon turntable 14, punch mechanisms 66 and 67are provided on either side of turntable 14 on the top 12 of base 11cooperating with die slides 54, 55, 56 and 57 on turntable 14.

Die slides 54, 55, 56 and 57 are each mounted in a different edge of theturntable and have top surfaces flush with the surface thereof. Dieslide 54 is provided with parallel flanges 58 and 59 which underlie thesurface of turntable l4 and permit slide 54 to move in or out along aline passing through the center of the turntable and perpendicular tothe edge in which slide 54 is mounted. A compression spring 59 actsbetween the turntable and the inner end of slide 54 to urge the sameoutwardly and a suitable internal stop (not shown) may be employed tolimit the outermost position of the slide. Slide 54 is provided with aguide bushing 61 and a die bushing 62 aligned with the direction ofmovement of. the slide 54. Slides 55, 56 and 57 are generally similarlyconstructed and are also provided with guide and die bushings which aremovable toward or away from the center of the turntable along linesperpendicular to the respective edges. Push rods 60 and 70, reciprocablymounted in frames 24- and 25, respectively, abut the ends of slides 57and 56, respectively, and serve to move the slides radially whilepermitting relative vertical movement between the frames and theturntable 14. The die bushing in slide 57 is adapted to receive anelongated punch identical to that receivable by bushing 62. The diebushings 64 and 65 in slides 55 and 56, respectively, serve to receivean identical round punch.

Punch mechanisms 66 and 6'7 comprise pedestals 68 and 69, respectively,which are reciprocably slidable in respective guideways 71 and 72.Members '76 and 77 attached to the underside of pedestals 68 and 69,respectively, extend down through slots 73 and 74 provided in the top 12within the respective guideways 71 and 72. On the underside of members76 and 77 wrist pins 78 and 79 respectively, are vertically mounted.Actuating levers 81. and 82 are connected to wrist pins 78 and 79,respectively, for the purpose of moving the punch pedestals toward oraway from turntable 14. Levers S1 and 82 may be manually actuated butare preferably mechanically motivated in response to operation ofcontrol 83 on the front of base 11. Such automatic control forms no partof the present invention and suitable mechanism has been outlined in theabove-mentioned patent application Seria No. 206,452.

The innermost position of pedestal 68 is determined by a stop mechanismcomprising a lead screw 84 journaled to the base 11 and extending from asuitable adjustment handle 85 through an aperture 86 in member 76 towardthe center of turntable 14 directly below slot 73. Threaded upon screw84 is a stop block 87 which extends upward into slot 73 and is therebyprevented from turningas handle 85 is manipulated. Rotation of handle85, accordingly, translates the stop block 87 along lead screw 84, andthe innermost position of pedestal 68 is determined by the point ofcontact between the opposing faces of stop block 87 and the member 76. Atransverse index line (shown in Fig. 8) is formed on the top surface ofstop block 87, which cooperates with a scale 88 extending along the edgeof slot 73. Scale 88 is calibrated to indicate the distance D shown inFigures 9a and 9b between the punched register holes in a printing plateheld on the turntable 14.

The innermost position of pedestal 69 is determined by a stop mechanismsimilar to that associated with pedestal 68 and corresponding elementsare indicated by means of primed reference numerals.

When punch pedestal 68 is moved inwardly, a projection 91 extendinginwardly from the base of the pedestal at the general level of theturntable 14 makes contact with the end of die slide 54 as shown in Fig.6. Continued inward movement of the pedestal 68 simultaneously carriesdie slide 54 toward the center of the turntable 14. Whenever die slide54 is in contact with projection 91, guide bushing 61 and die bushing 62are directly beneath guide pin 92 and elongated punch tool 93,respectively. The handle 85 is so adjusted that when the member 76projecting beneath pedestal 68 is brought to rest against the stop block87, the die bushing 62 thus assuring exact alignment of punch and die.

underlies the printing plate 94 while the guide bushing remains exposed.This condition is illustrated by Figure 7 where guide pin 92 is shownfree to enter guide bushing 61 before punch 93 makes contact with plate94, The punch may be provided with soft rubber hold-down and strippingattachments (not shown).

Punch 93 and guide pin 92 are mounted on a vertically movable carriage(not shown) within the head of pedestal 68. This carriage mayconveniently be actuated by means of a rack engaging a pinion fixed ontransverse shaft 95. A hand lever 96 is keyed to shaft 95 with theresult that an upward movement of lever 96 forces guide pin 92 down intoguide bushing 61, and punch 93 through plate 94 into associated bushing62.

In order to adjust for various printing plate thicknesses, levelingmeans is provided for altering the level of turntable 14 to place thetop surface of printing plate 94 flush with the reference leveldetermined by frames 24 and 25. The leveling means is shown in Fig. 2 tocomprise a pair of concentric rings 101 and 102 having complementarysloping faces in engagement. The turntable 14 is supported by androtatable relative to these rings. Top ring 101 is locked againstrotation by means ofkey 103 engaging platform 12, While the lower ring102 is provided on its lower edge with a gear segment 104 which isengaged by a pinion 105 actuated through shaft 106, bevel gears 107 andshaft 108 by means of a dial 109. Accordingly, upon rotating dial 109upper ring 101 slides vertically up or down within platform 12. When thethickness of plate 94 is known, dial 109 may be turned to theappropriate index and thus place the top surface of plate 94 on a levelwith frames 24 and 25.

A register screen 112 (shown in Fig. 1), provided with accuratelengthwise and crosswise lines for squaring up and centralizing plate94,'is supported by a frame 111, which is hinged on its lower edge tothe back of platform 12. Dogs 113 and 114, attached to the frame 111,engage slots 115 and 116 (shown in Fig. 5) when the register 'screen 112is brought down upon the turntable 14 and thus insure accurate alignmentof the register screen and the turntable. The frames 24 and 25 supportregister frame 111 with the registering lines in contact with plate 94.This prevents a parallax error which might otherwise arise if noleveling adjustment were provided for plates of different thicknesses.

In the operation of the present apparatus, the key plate is placed onturntable 14 and locked in approximate central position. dial 109 isturned to the proper setting. If the thickness is not known, a straightedge is laid across frames 24 and 25 and dial 109 is adjusted until thetop of the plate touches the straight edge. The register screen frame111 is then lowered and by manipulating the knurled heads 21 of clamps17 the key plate is squared with the mutually perpendicular lines on theregister screen 112. The screen is thereupon raised and the key plate aswell as the cross markers on studs 35 and 36 of frame 25 are inked.Next, the transparent sheet hanging on base 11 is stretched over the keyplate and clamped to bearer bars 37 and 38. An impression is made on thetransparent sheet of the plate and also of the markers. The transparentsheet is then removed and the plate is now ready for punching.

Handles 85 and 85 are adjusted to place stop blocks 87 and 87' at theproper distance D as shown in Fig. 9a.

' If the plate is to be punched at its top and bottom then the turntable14 is rotated 90 by means of. handle 16 and the distance D is adjustedas indicated in Fig. 9b. Con trol 83 is pushed and punches 66 and 67move inwardly, stopping automatically in working position. Hand levers96 and 96' are actuated to force the punch tools through the plate nearopposite edges thereof. Control 83 is pushed again and punches 66 and 67retract to their outermost positions. Clamps 17 are loosened and the nowregistered key plate is removed.

Color plates are registered in turn by placing the same on turntable 14in approximate central position, locking in place and chalking up. Theprinted transparent register sheet 44 is clamped in place over the colorplate. Adjustment screws 45 and 46 are turned to align the markers onstuds 35 and 36 with their original imprint on sheet 44. This procedureinsures that the sheet 44 is stretched to the same degree as when theoriginal imprint was made. The image on the color plate is then alignedwith the imprint on the register sheet 44 by manipulating clamps 17. Theregister sheet is then removed and the punches are operated in the samemanner as in punching the key plate.

I claim:

1. In mechanism for registering and marking printing plates, a base,level-limiting means on said base for pre- If the plate thickness isaccurately known,

determining a reference plane for registering purposes, plate-supportingmeans for a'djustably holding a printing plate above said base, andleveling means for altering the level of said plate-supporting means toplace the surface of said printing plate in the reference plane.

2. In mechanism for registering and marking printing plates, a base, aregistering member, level-limiting means on said base for predetermininga reference plane for said registering member, plate-supporting meansfor adjustably holding a printing plate above said base in alignmentwith said registering member, and leveling means for altering the levelof said plate-supporting means to place the surface of said printingplate in the same plane as said registering member. I

3. Mechanism for registering printing plates of various thicknessescomprising, a base, a transparent register sheet adapted to receive amaster imprint thereon, level limiting means on said base forpredetermining a reference plane for said register sheet,plate-supporting means for adjustably holding a printing plate abovesaid base in register with said register sheet, and leveling means foraltering the level of said plate-supporting means to align the surfaceof the printing plate with the imprinted surface of said register sheet.I a Y 4. Mechanism for registering printing plates comprising, a base, aframe having a transparent ruled register screen therein,plate-supporting means for holding a printing plate above said base,means hinging said frame to said base to permit said register screen tocover the plate, and leveling means for adjusting the height of saidplate-supporting means relative to said base to place the surface of theplate next to the ruled surface of said register screen.

, 5 Mechanism for registering printing plates comprising,

a base, a registering member, a turntable supported adjacent said basefor adjustably holding a printing plate in alignment with saidregistering member, a pair of concentric rings having complementarysloping faces in engagement, said turntable being supported by androtatable relative to said rings, and means for rotating said ringsrelative to each other, for altering the height of said turntable toadjust for different printing plate thicknesses.

6. Mechanism for registering printing plates comprising, a base,level-limiting means on said base for predetermining a reference planefor registering purposes, a turntable supported adjacent said base foradjustably holding a printing plate, a pair of concentric rings havingcomplementary sloping faces in engagement, said turntable beingsupported by and rotatable relative to said rings, and means forrotating said rings relative to each other for aligning the surface ofthe printing plate with said reference plane.

7. Mechanism for registering printing plates comprising, a base, aregistering member, level-limiting means on said base for predetermininga reference plane for said registering member a turntable supportedadjacent said base for adjustably holding a printing plate, a pair ofconcentric-rings having complementary sloping faces in engagement, saidturntable being supported by and rotatable relative to said rings, andmeans for rotating said rings relative to each other for aligning thesurface of the printing plate with said reference plane.

8. Mechanism for punching printing plates of various sizes comprising, abase, plate-supporting means for holding a printing plate above saidbase, a punch mechanism reciprocable on said base to overhang the plate,a die member resiliently reciprocable on said plate-supporting means tounderlie the plate, and means coordinating the reciprocal movement ofsaid punch mechanism and said die member toinsure alignment of the sameincluding determining a reference plane for said registering member,plate-supporting means for adjustably holding a printing plate abovesaid base in alignment with said registering member, a punch mechanismmovably mounted on said base to overhang the plate, a die movablymounted on said plate-supporting means to underlie the plate, meanscoordinating the movement of said punch mechanism and said die to insurealignment of the same, and leveling means for altering the level of saidplatesupporting means to place the surface of the plate in saidreference plane.

10. Mechanism for registering and punching printing plates comprising abase, level-limiting means on said base for predetermining a referenceplane for registering purposes, plate-supporting means for adjustablyholding a printing plate above said base, leveling means for alteringthe level of said plate-supporting means to place the surface of saidprinting plate in the reference plane, a die carried by saidplate-supporting means, and a punch mounted on said base arranged tooverhang the platesupporting means.

11. Mechanism for registering and punching printing plates comprising, abase, level-limiting means on said base for prcdetermining a referenceplane for registering purposes, a turntable supported adjacent said basefor adjustably holding a printing plate, a pair of concentric ringshaving complementary sloping faces in engagement, said turntable beingsupported by and rotatable relative to said rings, means for rotatingsaid rings relative to each other for aligning the surface of theprinting plate with said reference plane, a die carried by saidturntable, and a punch mounted on said base arranged to overhang theturntable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS741,181 Stevenson Oct. 13, 1903 1,298,555 Payne et a1. Mar. 25, 19191,388,968 Ogden Aug. 30, 1921 1,390,799 Lippmann Sept. 13, 19212,011,584 Lengel et al. Aug. 20, 1935 2,199,614 Bungay May 7, 19402,208,435 Simpson July 16, 1940 2,209,498 Wittman July 30, 19402,512,937 Hartman June 27, 1950 2,659,571 Ferguson Nov. 17, 19532,679,695 Bungay June 1, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 363,992 Germany Nov. 16,1922

